THE BLAZE

Newsletter of the Mount Rogers Appalachian Trail Club

Summer 2019

Newsletter in .pdf form

Doug Levin, Anne Maio, Carol Broderson, Beth Minnick (Club Ridgerunner) pointing to a new bear box. Doug Levin made the hand-routed sign which points to the bear box south of Rhododendron Gap since it is not visible from the AT.

MRATC RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES REPORT

During the spring months we’ve seen beautiful wildflowers on both fun and wildflower/rare plant hikes. The highlights were seen during hikes from Whitetop to Elk Garden, a hike that started at the Pinnacle near Lebanon and ended at the Barrens, and also a Friday hike to Laurel Run near Kingsport. Attendance on hikes was from 4 to 14.

During our big Hardcore event on May 19-20 the club fed workers beginning with lunch on the 19th and ending with breakfast on the 21st. During supper on May 19 we fed Hardcore workers and the Konnarock Crew, about 45 folks, but other meals (including packed lunches) were just for about 15-20 folks. Because we planned for many more folks at each meal and Hardcore participation was down, we had a lot of leftover food, which went to the Konnarock Crew for the most part.

                                                                                                                        Submitted by Sharon Trumbley

MRATC MEMBERSHIP

During the Spring quarter we’ve continued to have some new memberships and many renewals of annual memberships. However, there are still many members who have not renewed for 2019. During July emails and letters will be sent as last reminders to folks who haven’t renewed. These folks will be taken off the newsletter and email list if they do not renew. We hate to lose folks! If you think you may not have renewed and want to check before last reminders are sent, feel free to email the membership coordinator at trumbleys@hotmail.com and check.

TRAILS REPORT

A couple of early spring storms with extra high winds provided ample blowdown work for the club March through May. The Beartree neighborhood had two areas with eight blowdowns each, requiring three work days to clear completely. David Hatcher wielded the club's new chain saw efficiently, saving time for the crews. The club cleaned out the Trimpi shelter privy in advance of through hiker traffic, adding a bit of extra aroma to the spring ephemerals in April.

Our high country black bear population must have developed social media, as they began pestering hikers at shelter locations frequently this spring. They learned to pull down hanging food packs and began entering unoccupied tents. As a precaution, two new bear boxes were added to the four installed last fall. The locations of the six boxes are: just north of Thomas Knob Shelter, west of Rhododendron Gap, between the Appalachian Trail and Crest Trail, north of Wise Shelter, north of Old Orchard Shelter, at Hurricane Mountain Shelter, and at Trimpi Shelter. Bear warning signs, giving advice about food storage, were placed at many locations along the trail. We hope that the bears will return to their native food sources soon.

HardCore 2019, held just after Trail Days in May, was a big success, with two beautiful work days and no storms. Attendance was down from last year, with 28 signing up at the Trail Days booth and 10 from Konnarock. However, enthusiasm was high and significant progress was made on rock stairs and drainage just south of the boundary with Grayson Highlands State park. Konnarock Crew assisted and provided leadership.

Food for the two days was provided by the club. We are grateful to Marci Holland, Park Manager, for providing the shelter facilities and camping area at no charge to the club. We received a VARO grant for $1400 and a $250 donation from Appalachian Long Distance Hiking Association, both of which provided supplies for this year’s HardCore effort. Thank you ATC -VA Regional Office and ALDHA !

June 1st, National Trails Day, project, for which club members were joined by two Scouts and their fathers as we piled brush in a campsite on the AT just south of Damascus that has been abused by people camping there for long periods of time and leaving trash.

BOOK ANNOUNCEMENT

Susan Arey of Tidewater ATC has a book for sale, Life After the Appalachian Trail, about the effects of hiking the AT on hikers’ life choices afterwards. Interviews are illustrated with photos of the author’s quilt of the Trail. Available at Amazon.com - $17.95 (Kindle e-book $2.99

COMMUNITY FESTIVALS

The club participated in three community festivals in April and May. Whitney and Isaac Peters and Janet Gibbons staffed the club’s information book at Abingdon’s Earth Day.

At the Virginia Creeper Trail Fest later in April, Anne Maio, Sharon Trumbley and Kathryn Herndon-Powell of the ATC set up a booth of club and AT information and an activity for festival visitors to practice selecting the most appropriate items to take on a backpacking trip. (See photo of Sharon with Kathryn in a turtle costume during the event.)

A number of club members helped staff the club’s booth and Hardcore project signup at Trail Days in Damascus on May 17-18. Thanks to all who helped with these outreach opportunities!

NATURAL RESOURCES REPORT

The Natural Resources Committee led four outings to celebrate the spring ephemeral wildflower season. On our favorite hike between Whitetop and Elk Garden, we monitored the rare Cardamine clematitis, small mountain bittercress, for the first time. We also sent in reports and photographs of great Indian plantain, fringed phacelia, and American umbrellaleaf. On future outings, we’ll be keeping an eye out for summer bloomers: Gray’s lily, Blue Ridge St. Johnswort, beaked dodder, and Roan Mountain rattlesnake root. We’ll also get out the hand lens to study grasses and sphagnum mosses on Mt. Rogers. If you’re interested in mountain flora, please join us. Our next outing is a June 5 hike to Mt. Rogers. Email to join us mtrogersatc@gmail.com

New bearbox installed at Hurricane Mtn. Shelter by club members and Evan Blevins of the Mt. Rogers NRA. Shown in the photo are Ron Bobko and Doug Levin.

Remember that if you order merchandise online from amazon.com, you can order using “Amazon Smile” and a penny for every dollar will come back to the club! Please use the following link:
http://smile.amazon.com/ch/54-1716495